Relationship Counseling

At Relationships For Better, we specialize in the intricacies of both romantic and personal relationships. Our approach is compassionate yet results-driven. Whether you're a couple seeking to strengthen your bond or an individual navigating friendships, we provide tailored strategies to foster open communication and trust, guiding you towards healthier, fulfilling relationships.

We may work on communication & relationship skills, explore the root of our trauma responses and attachment, practice working across difference, and/or discover ways back to connection. I specialize work with couples who identify at the intersections of LGBTQ+, polyamorous/nonmonogomous and/or neurodivergence.

After completing post graduate fertility training from the District of Columbia Board of Psychology I am passionate about supporting individuals and couples on their fertility journey. You can benefit from fertility-specific counseling if you are an individual or a couple undergoing fertility treatments (IUIs and IVFs), coping with miscarriage, or even exploring alternative options to grow your family, like infant/child adoption or surrogacy.

It is difficult to be content and at peace when there is tension or strife in your romantic partnership(s). I can teach you skills to improve communication, reduce conflict, and enhance connection. I have training and experience in working with consensual non-monogamy, open relationships, and polyamory. As a certified sex therapist, I offer help with navigating common sexual concerns, such as desire discrepancy, sexual dysfunction, and kink / BDSM.

I have been working as a coach and therapist with non-monogamous/polyamorous groupings since 2009. For relationship sessions, I work with both dyads as well as larger polycules.

"Anissa really took the time to understand our unique issues...all of us felt really heard and we were able to finally hear and understand each other better and find new ways to communicate and function day to day that have really improved things in our home." ---RD

I use Prepare/Enrich for premarital counseling and those looking to establish a healthy foundation for their future together.

I provide couples therapy, address any family relationship issues, peer and adult relationship challenges.

Addressing relationships in therapy can look like couples counseling or individual. Either way we think addressing the relationships in counseling are so important. They often can cause things like depression and anxiety without even knowing. Our approach can address both!

I enjoy teaching effective communication skills to people in relationships, so while I can be the one to initially help guide conversations between partners, eventually clients will be able to use the skills on their own. I often work with people in non-monogamous relationships, but those skills can help clients in any relationship format.

As a Couple and Family Therapist, I am dedicated to providing effective relationship counseling. I focus on helping clients address challenges such as communication breakdowns, trust issues, and conflicts. My training allows me to understand the complexities that can arise within relationships. Together, we can work toward creating meaningful, lasting relationships that reflect your unique identity and values.

I’m a relationship expert because I’ve dedicated my career to understanding and transforming the dynamics that connect us to each other. With a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy, I have extensive training in how relationships shape us and influence our well-being. Over the years, I’ve helped couples and individuals navigate the complexities of relationships—from communication breakdowns and recurring conflicts to attachment wounds and patterns that keep people feeling stuck.

At our practice, we're all about helping couples build stronger, happier relationships. With years of experience in relationship therapy, our friendly team is here to support you through everything from minor squabbles to major challenges. We create a safe, welcoming space where you can work on communication, resolve conflicts, and reconnect with each other.

I have trained in Gottman Therapy, and I do pull from that model; however, my work is predominantly relational, and also solutions-focused. I utilize interventions from many models, and like all the therapy I provide, I tailor interventions and solutions based on the needs and the desires of my clients. People don't fit into boxes neatly; that just isn't the human experience.

The frameworks I utilize the most are the Gottman Method and the Developmental Model. I have completed Gottman Level 1 and Level 2 Trainings as well as extensive training in the developmental model. I will also weave in techniques and methods learned from Emotional Focused therapy and Esther Perel’s work when appropriate.

Inundated with the assumptions, attitudes, and assessments of others, it can feel impossible to sort out what feels intuitively right for you and your partner(s), your family member(s), or your friend(s). Agreements and promises can be made as easily as feelings can change and get hurt, the pain of which can foreclose any hope of processing and surviving such ruptures. You do not have to remain stuck, give up, or figure it out alone.

My additional graduate training in couple and family therapy has given me the special insight and skills with which I have competed hundreds of pre-marital, couple and family therapy sessions for over 12 years.